Men's Fashion: The Plight of the Metaverse Male

Let me say up front that I believe there's a distinct difference between assigning certain colors and forms of clothing as social and status requirements for genders, and social labels and styles which are designed to bring out the best in one's physique.

Given the latter there are definitely some standards pertaining to clothes which are associated with gender. That won't ever change, nor will the pursuit of definitive examples and the ability to wear them well. IMHO color shouldn't be one of them. This also applies to those of any gender or persuasion who rely on these details to define their persona or pursuits.

Style Versus ?

It was the height of New Wave renaissance in NYC when I was in my early 20s. Crazy colors, checkerboard shirts or a ripped up white one with one's favorite band (in a checkerboard frame) was not unusual, or black cargo pants, white tee with black sleeveless or vest on top... Canal Jeans in lower Manhattan was a mix n match of elements.

Dad said one day that I had no sense of style. Being an artist I felt playing with palettes was all the style I needed. Turquoise painter's pants and a black sleeveless tee was pretty cool in my book.

Then I got older and I started to develop a sense of style for the characters I drew in comics. For myself this had always taken a back seat to medical expenses. It still does actually.

Just as people who missed their childhood, Second Life has allowed me to explore and cultivate a sense of style. But it has not come without a struggle, and that struggle is shared by male avatars all over the metaverse, both in Second Life and beyond.

This site is a documentation of that struggle, and an in-depth look at where the majority of men's fashion creators fail virtual residents.